1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the quantitative and qualitative detection of aflatoxins in peanuts and more particularly is directed towards a new and improved method for analyzing aflatoxins in peanuts by means of high pressure liquid chromatography.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Aflatoxin is a known carcinogen that enters food as a consequence of the manner in which foods are grown, handled or stored. Aflatoxin is not a deliverate food additive but occurs as a natural contaminant in such common foods as peanuts and corn.
Aflatoxin is a generic term referring to a group of highly toxic compounds produced by the fungus Aspergillus flavus/parasiticus. In additional to the original recognition of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2, there also have been a large number of metabolites whose structures have been examined. These are mostly produced in mammalian tissue upon ingestion by the mammal of the parent compound B1, although some may also be produced by the fungus or by chemical treatment of B1. Of the four original aflatoxins, B1 is the most common, usually comprising about 90% of the aflatoxin residue observed on contaminated foodstuffs and it is also the most toxic. The biological activity of aflatoxin B1 is relatively similar to the other aflatoxins.
In order to detect the presence of aflatoxins on food products such a peanuts, it is common practice to run regular tests on samples of peanuts as a quality control function. However, the present methodology is quite long, typically running about two and one-half hours to complete and is characterized by a sensitivity in the 3-5 ppb range. In food processing operations the long analysis time is unsatisfactory since testing must be carried out prior to processing of a batch of nuts. It would be far more desirable to have a capability of making frequent tests on an on-going basis so that testing can be carried out more or less simultaneously with the food processing operations such as blanching, roasting, and the like.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method for testing peanuts for the presence of aflatoxins.
Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved method for quickly and efficiently analyzing peanuts and the like for the presence of aflatoxins by means of high pressure liquid chromatography.
Still a further object of this invention is to provide a process for detecting aflatoxins in peanuts in a reliable and precise manner that can be carried out on an on-going basis.